This invention relates to canisters suitable for holding glass pipettes for sterilization.
Glass pipettes are commonly used for accurately measuring and dispensing volumes of fluids. For some uses it is important to dispense such fluids in a sterile manner and thus the pipettes are sterilized either by dry heat at 160.degree.-180.degree. C. or by steam heat at 121.degree. C. in an autoclave. During sterilization, and subsequent storage, groups of pipettes are held within a cylindrical or rectangular box-shaped canister having a lid. These canisters are commonly formed from stainless steel or aluminum, and are provided with a wad of cotton or glass wool to cushion the fragile tips of pipettes, which otherwise break upon impact with the bottom of the canister during loading or transport of the canisters.
Harker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,929, describes an open wire container having a plastic bag containing disinfectant. The bag is autoclaved when filled with pipettes. After use this bag is thrown away.
Erickson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,700, describes a stainless steel canister having a flat disc-shaped bottom, suitable for autoclaving of pipettes.